Creation of Truth Commission pushed to probe Mamasapano clash

By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA News

Published February 2, 2015 10:10am

(Updated 11:57 a.m.) Some members of the Senate and the House of Representatives are set to file a bill on Monday calling for the creation of a Truth Commission to probe the deaths of 44 elite personnel of the PNP-Special Action Force following a clash with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao on January 25.

"We are going to file this afternoon a bill that will create a Truth Commission that will probe the Mamasapano incident," said Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate committee on peace and reconciliation, at a press conference in the Senate.

Senators Bam Aquino and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III will be the co-authors of the bill. On the other hand, Representatives Sitti Turabin Hataman, Jorge Banal, and Marcelino Teodoro wil be the co-authors of the proposed measure at the House of Representatives.

On January 25, forty-four members of the PNP-SAF were killed and 12 were wounded during a firefight with the MILF and BIFF. The MILF had announced that a total of 17 of their fighters died in the clash.

The elite cops' mission was to serve arrest warrants to two suspected terrorists—Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Abdulbasit Usman— who were confirmed to be in Mamasapano town.

Authorities have yet to officially confirm if Marwan was indeed killed in the operation.

Mamasapano Truth Commission

'Credible and independent'

In pushing for the creation of a Truth Commission, Guingona, who hails from Bukidnon, said: "In a few days, we will be burying our fallen heroes, wag po nating hayaan na mailibing ang katotohanan. Huwag po tayong pumayag din na mailibing ang matagal naming pangarap na magkaroon ng makatarungan and lasting peace sa ating pinalanggang Mindanao."

Guingona stressed that the fact-finding commission will be "credible" and "independent."

It will be composed of one committee chairman and two members, who have "unimpeachable integrity."

Those being eyed as members of the Truth Commission are former Senator Wigberto Tañada, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, and Ateneo School of Government Dean Antonio La Viña.

While the legislators did not set a time frame for the bill's passage, they hope that it will be passed as soon as possible.

"Things can take time… pero kung magka-isa, this can pass in one week," Guingona said.

President Benigno Aquino III will be tasked as the appointing officer. The senator added that this should not erode the credibility of the commission.

The commission will have the power to subpoena, to tap any entity to submit documents and to cite people in contempt if they did not cooperate with the commission.

For his part, Aquino said that the Truth Commission's probe will be held parallel to inquiries being undertaken by the PNP Board of Inquiry, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the International Monitoring Team.

The senators said the Truth Commission can invite anyone to testify, including the President.

The legislators added that the findings of the commission may be used as evidence in filing charges.

Bangsamoro Basic Law

Meanwhile, both Guingona and Aquino agreed that the Truth Commission is important to the passage of the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law.

"[The Truth Commission] is quite critical. All of us here are still supportive of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Wala naman ho sa amin dito ang nag-withdraw ng aming suporta, pero ang hinahanap po ng taumbayan ngayon ay 'yung hustisya. We need to find justice and the truth with regards to this issue," Aquino said.

"'Yung kapayapaan sa Mindanao kailangan pong ipagpatuloy 'yan pero not at the expense of anything else. Hanapin po natin ang hustisya sa isyung ito dahil into po ang hinahanap ng pamilya ng namatay na SAF 44," he added.

Aquino noted that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law should be amended after the Mamasapano clash.

Earlier, Senators JV Ejercito and Alan Peter Cayetano withdrew their support for the BBL passage following the Mamasapano clash.

For his part, Guingona pointed out that peace equates to justice.

"Ang pinakaprinsipyo ng kapayapaan ay tiwala. Sapagkat, kung hindi tayo nagtitiwala sa bawat isa bakit pa tayo nagpepeace agreement, hindi ba? Pero paano babalik ang tiwala kung walang hustisya, kundi managot ang dapat managot so very important ito sa peace process," he said.

The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law is currently under deliberations at the Senate and the House.

The measure seeks to create the Bangsamoro political entity, which will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. — RSJ/KG, GMA News

Tags: mamasapanoclash, milf, biff, pnpsaf